Ch. 7

Question 1

family systems approach

Answer 1

provides framework for making sense of complex interactions within a family

-family as composed of people and relationships in the system, interconnected and requiring adjustment after disequilibrium caused by changes within people or relationships

Question 2

dyadic subsystem

Answer 2

2 person connection between each person, and combinations of 3+ people

Question 3

2 principles of family systems

Answer 3

1) subsystems influence each other in family
2) change in system results in disequilibrium until adjustment occurs

Question 4

boundaries

Answer 4

implicit rules that govern subsystem interactions

-dictate what behaviors and communications are acceptable for family members

Question 5

3 aspects of family systems with implications for adolescents

Answer 5

1) parent changes at midlife
2) sibling relationships
3) extended family relationships

Question 6

parent changes at midlife

Answer 6

adolescence and emerging adulthood tend to overlap with parents processing midlife

-time of high satisfaction than crisis

-increase in wisdom, psychological health, competence, respect from others, financial and social opportunities

-decrease in energy, health, creativity, physical appearance

Question 7

how accurate is the empty nest syndrome?

Answer 7

emerging adults’ autonomy may be welcomed by most parents, giving them time to focus on paths

-stereotype is that it is difficult for parents

-84% of midlife adults missed children

-60% enjoyed having more time with partner and themselves

Question 8

5 patterns sibling relationships

Answer 8

1) caregiver
2) buddy
3) casual
4) rival
5) critical

Question 9

caregiver

Answer 9

parental functions served by sibling

-often older/younger sibling roles

Question 10

buddy

Answer 10

siblings are friends, acting like one another

-wanting to be together

Question 11

casual

Answer 11

siblings have little to do with one another

-lack of closeness

Question 12

rival

Answer 12

competition and measuring success against one another

Question 13

critical

Answer 13

high level of conflict and teasing

Question 14

how does divorce affect sibling relationships?

Answer 14

increased hostility and warmth (intensity)

-support and shared experience persists, leaving them closer

Question 15

extended family

Answer 15

80% of American adolescents list at least 1 extended family member among the most important people

-closeness to grandparents is positively correlated to well-being for adolescents, though time spent with extended family decreases over adolescents

-in divorced families, adolescents have greater contact with maternal grandfathers who provide financial or emotional support and role-modeling

Question 16

extended family support

Answer 16

in traditional cultures, young men stay in family home when they marry
–women live with husbands’ family

-living with extended family members promotes closeness with grandparents > parents
–grandparents focus more on nurturing and less on authority and control

-promote academic and social success

Question 17

4 parenting roles

Answer 17

characterized by variance in demands and responsiveness

1) authoritative
2) permissive
3) authoritarian
4) disengaged

Question 18

authoritative

Answer 18

high demands and responsiveness

-adolescent outcomes: independent, creative, self-assured, socially skilled

Question 19

permissive

Answer 19

low demands, high responsiveness

-adolescent outcomes: dependent, passive, conforming

Question 20

authoritarian

Answer 20

high demands, low responsiveness

-adolescent outcomes: irresponsible, conforming, immature

Question 21

disengaged

Answer 21

low demands and responsiveness

-adolescent outcomes: impulsive, delinquent, early sex, drugs

Question 22

reciprocal effects

Answer 22

parenting style doesn’t create a person

-children bring personalities and goals to parenting relationship

-causality isn’t uni-directional

-evocative -> enviro. effects:
–aggressive adolescents invoke authoritative parenting

–mild-tempered adolescents evoke permissive parenting because they don’t seem to require boundaries or oversight

Question 23

differential parenting

Answer 23

parents are perceived by acting differently towards children
–may be result of authentic differences drawn out by evocative -> enviro. effects

-perceptions of parenting may be more so the perception of adolescents

-adolescents perceiving parents as authoritative -> happier and better functioning

Question 24

nonshared environments

Answer 24

evidence for differential parenting in terms of warmth and negativity
–the more closely related siblings were genetically, the more similar their experience of parental negativity was
(evocative -> enviro. effect

-adolescents’ reports have more negativity than parents’

-discrepant ratings in younger adolescents have poorer outcomes

Question 25

culture and parenting style

Answer 25

dominated by American ideals of independence and individuality
–hard to apply to traditional or collectivist cultures

-in traditional cultures, parents expect their rules and wishes to be obeyed
–success not defined in terms of becoming a strong individual with personal satisfaction outside of membership to cultural institutions

-from culture of 1800s to 2000s in US, functions for adolescents changed from all (edu., religion, med. care, economic support, recreation and emotional support/affective) to just affective/emotional support

Question 26

divorce processes

Answer 26

adolescents whose parents had divorced in childhood are at risk for psychological and behavioral issues

-adolescents show fewer effects of divorce than younger children

-as emerging adults, effects of divorce center on anxiety in considering marriage, knowing it can end in divorce and not wanting to repeat patterns

-parenting styles may equalize back to pre-divorce status
–less affectional and consistent and more permissive before/after divorce

-closeness with fathers declines after divorce
–at age 15, adolescents in divorced families live an avg. of 400 miles from father
–half haven’t seen him in a year

-economic stress